Cup disposal system



y 1944- s. D. POLSEN ETAL CUP DISPOSAL SYSTEM Filed Aug.

lNVENTOR SAMUEL +D PQL5EN RTNELSON I I 1 I v M I TORNEY Patented July 25, 1944 CUP DISPOSAL SYSTEM Samuel D. Poison and Sven Herbert Nelson, Bridgeport, Conn., assignors of one-fourth to Bianclie'H. Polsen and one-fourth to Mildred 1. Nelson, both of Bridgeport, Conn.

Application August 19,; 1941, Serial No. 407,511

'10 Claims. (01. 100-4) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in dispensing apparatus and has particular relation to the disposal of used receptacles or cups 'of paper or-similar destructible material ordinarily supplied to the patrons of devices or machines dispensing liquids such as hot or cold drinks, soups, and the like.

To a large extent receptacles or cups of paper or other destructible material are supplied by liquid dispensing devices for use by patrons of such devices and the disposal of such cups, after their use, presents a problem of sanitation and also of the handling of considerable bulk.

The present invention provides for the disposal of such used cups or receptacles in such a manner that there is no litter about the dispensing machine, in such a manner that there is no spilled liquid at the outside of the machine, in such a manner that the used cups or receptacles are reduced to a small bulk' and packaged for convenient removal from the vicinity of the dispensing machine, and in such a manner that all surfaces engaged by the used or discarded cups or receptacles or by any liquid left in them are readily renewable each time the discarded cups or receptacles are taken from the vdispensing machine.

Since the used cups or other receptacles are reduced in bulk and packaged or collected in a removable container of destructible material, and ,since the surfaces of the parts likely to be conwith the accompanying drawing wherein satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

cabinet of a liquid dispensing device, a side wall of the cabinet being removed. 3

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken as along the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken as along the line 3-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1 but showing a slight modification. I

Referring in detail to the drawing and at first more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, at I0 is generally indicated a portion of the cabinet of a dispensing apparatus which may be coin controlled or otherwise. The machine includes means (not shown) for supplying to a, patron a cup or other receptacle, generally of paper or other destructible material, adapted after use to be discarded and also for supplying to the patron a drink or the like which may be in the cup or receptacle when the latter is delivered or which the patron catches in such cup or other receptacle. The means of the invention may be mounted in a compartment of the cabinet of a machine such as described and is herein so disclosed although it is to be understood that it may be mounted in any separate housing if such is desired.

A partition I I serves to form a compartmentv I 2 at one side of the cabinet l0 and the means of the invention is particularly concerned with this compartment l2 and is for the most part mounted therein. At the side of partition II opposite that at which the compartment I2 is located there is the space or compartment I3 for the reception and mounting of any suitable apparatus (not shown) for the dispensing of cups or other receptacles and the food or drink.

In the front wall ll of the compartment I2 is a doorway I5 normally closed by a small door 16 shown as pivotally mounted. Within the compartment in position to receive used cups inserted through the doorway I5 is a platform I'I inclining away fromthe doorway. As clearly shown in Fig. 3 the platform is somewhat channel shaped in transverse section including a bottom wall I8 Fig. l is a view partly in side elevatiqn and partly in section showing the apparatus of the and side flanges or walls I9. Platform I1 is supported from the partition I I or otherwise by any suitable or desired means (not shown).

At the inner lower end of the platform I! in position to receive any material or article moving off such end is a container 20 preferably comprising a bag of paper or other destructible material and also preferably of a material which has been treated to render it substantially liquid proof. Container 20 is removably secured in place by means of spring clips 2| and 22 on the rear wall 23 of the compartment and the underside of the platform II respectively. Thus the container is secured in place and its mouth held open or expanded to receive any article or material falling from the lower end of the platform It will be clear that the container 23 may be readily removed from the compartmentl2 through a doorway normally closed by a door 24 hinged to the cabinet at 25. When the door 24 is open it is merely necessary to slip the upper edges of the container from under the clips 2| and 22 in order to lift the container from compartment l2. Thereafter a new container is placed in the compartment and the edges of its open end are clamped by the clips 2| and 22 securing it in place to receive anymaterial or article moving of! the lower end of platform I].

Spaced above the inner lower end of platform I1 is a stop 26 so located that a cup or receptacle 31, when in normal open condition, can not pass under the stop and is prevented from falling off the platform thereby. According to the invention while a cup or other receptacle is being held by the stop 26 it is crushed to reduce its bulk whereby a large number of the cups after use may be held in the container 20 without the latter being of extremely large capacity.

For the described purpose'a rocker arm 21 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends as on a short shaft or pin 28 extending from the partition into the compartment l2. To the rear end portion of arm 21 a pivot pin 29 attaches the upper end of a rigid link or member 30 the lower end portion of which is disposed immediately forwardly of the stop 26 and carries a crusher foot 3| extending forwardly over the inner lower portion of platform H. A pin 32 pivotally connects the upper end of a link 33 to the forward end of the arm 21 and on the lower end of such link is a ball-like portion 34 received in a cup or channel member 35 rigid with the door l6. Link 33 carries a counter weight 36 the purpose of which will be fully set forth.

The construction thus far described may be used for our purpose. In use a patron having obtained a drink or the like from the dispensing machine discards his used cup or other receptacle by pushing it through the doorway l and it passes onto the platform I! and slidesor rolls down the same until it engages stop 26 as in the case of the cup 31 shown in the'drawing. The weight 36 on the link 33 maintains the door l6 closed and the arm 21 and parts attached thereto in the positions in which they are shown by the full lines in Fig. 1, this being the normal positions of the parts.

Now when the nextuser pushes a cup or receptacle through doorway IS the cup '31 will be crushed. Thus cup 38 (Fig. 1) is being pushed through the doorway and as door I6 is pushed open and swings on its pivotal mounting the link 33 is forced upwardly and rocks the arm 21 to the dotted line position of Fig. 1. As this movement takes place the link 30 is forced downwardly and the crusher foot 3| engages the cup 31 crushing the same to a flat condition whereby its bulk is substantially reduced. When the cup or receptacle 38 is inside it slides or rolls to a position against the stop 26. Weight 36 acts to close the door l6, rock the arm 21 back to normal position and raise the link 30 and the crusher fo'ot 3| so that the latter is elevated and out of the way when the cup or receptacle slides or rolls down platform I! to a position against the stop 26.

During the time that the parts are returning to their normal positions and after the cup 31 has been crushed the latter passes under the stop 26 and falls irto the container 26, At the end of a cycle of operation the second cup or receptacle is therefore against the stop 26, the first cup or receptacle has been crushed flat and is in the container 20, and the door I6 is closed to exclude files or other insects. Since the cups or receptacles are crushed flat before entering the container 20 it will be understood that without the latter being unduly large it will be capable of receiving .a very large number of cups or other receptacles. Therefore used cups or the like will not be spilled about the machine for lack of space into which the users of the machine may place the cups or receptacles after using them.

As a further step toward sanitation 8. roll of paper or other destructible material 39, preferably treated to render it substantially liquid proof, is mounted in compartment i2 preferably below the platform H, as on a pin 40. A portion of the paper 39 is lead over the top side of the platform I! as at 4| and then the free end of the paper is carried to the under side of the platform and secured under the clip 22 previously described.

With this construction the drops of material usually remaining in a cup when it is discarded are kept from contact with the platform proper and drain into the container 20 off the paper 4|. When the maintenance man removes the container 20 and replaces it with a clean one he releases the end of the paper from the clip 22 and draws a clean pieceof paper over the platform I! and tears off the used paper placing it in the container he is removing and clamps the new free end of the paper under the clip 22.

In a manner similar to the above a roll of paper 42 is mounted on a pin 43 above the crusher foot 3|. Paper 42 is preferably treated to render it substantially-liquid proof and a portion 44 of it is carried downwardly about the crusher foot as by being passed under a guide member 45. The free end of the paper is secured in place as by being clamped under a spring clip 46 on the rear side of the link 30. At the same time that the paper over the platform I! is renewed the used portion of paper 42 is torn off and a clean portion thereof drawn under the guide and about the foot 3| and secured by the clip 46.

From the above it will be understood that through the use of the means of the invention the machine may be kept in a clean and sanitary condition and that a small container 20 may be used to hold a very large number of discarded cups or other receptacles. Each time the maintenance man renews the supply of dispensable material in the machine he removes the container 20 and its contents and replaces it with a clean fresh container. At the same time he easily and quickly renews the surfaces of the platform l1 and the crusher foot 3| carrying away in the container the soiled portions of the paper from the rolls 39 and 42.

In the modification of Fig. 4 where the parts are the same they have been given the same reference characters. In the device of such figure the crusher is designed to be power operated as by power from some moving part of a dispensing apparatus in the compartment l3 of the cabinet "I. Thus the upper end of the link 36 is connected by a pivot 50 with the outer end of a crank arm 5| mounted on a shaft 52 driven by a motor 53. An arm 54 mounted on the pivot 23 has a slot 55 through which the pivot pin 50 asses a 3 passes and by which its movement is guided.

With this construction, with each cycle of the machine's operation or with each revolution of tion, what we claim is:

1. In an apparatus for disposing of.used recepthe shaft 52, the link so carrying the crusher foot tacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a stationary platform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through said doorway, said platform having .an inclined upper surface with its higher portion adjacent said doorway, said platform having a freelower end, a stop above the lower end of said platform in position to prevent the receptacles in normal condition moving off the lower end of the platform, and means operating immediately forwardly of said stop to crush the receptacles and reduce their bulk after which they'may move under the stop and off the lower end of the platform.

2. In an apparatus for disposing of used re-/ ceptacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a platform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through said doorway, a stop above said platform in position to prevent receptacles in normal condition moving from the platform, a normally elevated crusher oper- 'ating immediately forwardly of the stop and adapted on'being moved downwardly toward the platform to crush a receptacle against the platform and reduce its bulk after which it maypass under the stop and off the platform, a door normally closing said doorway, and means operated by said door as the latter is opened to give said crusher its downward stroke.

3. In an apparatus for disposing of used receptacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a platform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through said doorway, a stop above said platform in position to prevent receptacles in normal conditionmoving from the platform, a rocker arm pivoted intermediate its ends and disposed above said platform, a rigid link pivoted to one end of said rocker arm, a crusher foot on-the lower end of said lnk and located immediately forwardly of said stop, a link pivoted to the other end of said rocker arm, a door normally closing said doorway, and a connection between the lower end of said other link and the said door whereby as said door is opened said rocker arm is rocked on its pivot and said crusher foot is forced downwardly toward the platform to crush any receptacle thereon at the forward side of said stop to reduce the bulk of such receptacle and permit its movement under the stop andofi the platform.

8. In an apparatus for disposing of used receptacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a platform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through said doorway, a stop above said platform in position to prevent receptacles in normal condition moving from the platform, a rocker arm pivoted intermediate its ends and disposed above said platform, a rigid link pivoted to one end of said rocker arm, a crusher foot on the lower end of said link and located immediately forwardly of said stop, a link pivoted to the other end of said rocker arm, a door normally closing said doorway,-a connection between the lower end of said other link and the said door whereby as the door is opened said rocker arm is rocked on its pivot and said crusher foot is forced downwardly toward the platform to crush any receptacle thereon at the forward side of said stopto reduce the bulk of such receptacle and permit its movement under the stop and of! the platform, and said second mentioned link weighted whereby to return said door to closed position and said rocker arm and crusher to normal positions on release of saiddoor.

5. In an apparatus for disposing of iised receptacles ofpaper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a stationary platform in said cabinet in positlonto receive receptacles inserted through said doorway, said platform arranged with its upper surface declining from said doorway, said platform having a free lower end,.a stop above the lower end of said platform in position to prevent receptacles in normal condition moving from.

the lower end of the platform, an arm pivoted in said cabinet above said platform, a rigid link con- 'nected at its upperend with said arm, a crusher foot on the. lower .end of said link and located immediately'forwardly of said stop, and means to rock said arm on its pivot to force said crusher foot toward the platform to crush any paper receptacle thereon to'reduce the bulk of such receptacle so that it may pass under the stop and off the lower end of the platform.

6. In an apparatus for disposing of used receptacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a pl tform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through said door- .way, a stop above said platform in position to prevent the receptacles in normal condition moving from theplatform, an arm pivoted in said cabinet above said platform,'a rigid link connected' at its upper end with said arm, a crusher foot on the lower end of said. link and located immediately forwardly of said stop, a door normally closing said doorway, and means operated by said door as the latter is opened to rock said arm on its pivot and force said crusher foot downwardly toward the platform and crush any receptacle thereon to reduce its bulk so that it may pass under the stop and off the platform.

7. In an apparatus fordisposing of used receptacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a stationary platform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through I said doorwayand declining from the latter and .ceptacles held by'said stop and reduce their bulk after which they may pass under the stop, and said platform comprising a bottom wall and side walls.

8. In an apparatus for disposing of used receptacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a stationary platform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through said doorway, said platform arranged with its upper surface declining from said doorway, a stopabove the lower end of said platform in position to' prevent the receptacles in normal condition moving from the lower end of the platform, an arm pivoted in said cabinet abovev said platform, a rigid link connected at its upp r end with said arm, a crusher foot on the lower end of said link and located immediately forwardlyv of said stop, a door normally closing said doorway, means operatedby said door as the latter is opened to rock said arm on its pivot and force said crusher foot downwardly toward the platform and crush any receptacle thereon to reduce its bulk so that it may pass under the stop and oil the platform, and means for closing said door and returning said arm, link and crusher foot to their normal positions on release of said door after the opening thereof.

9. In an apparatus for disposing of used receptacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having a doorway, a platform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through said doorway, a stop above said platform in position to prevent receptacles in normal condition moving from the platform, an arm in said cabinet and pivotally mounted above said platform, a. rigid link connected at its upper end with said arm. a crusher foot on the lower end of said link and located immediately forwardly of said stop, and

power means operable to rock said arm on its pivot and force said crusher foot toward the platform to crush any receptacle thereon to reduce its bulk so that it may pass under the stop and oil the platform.

10. In an apparatus for disposing of used receptacles of paper and the like, a cabinet having an opening, a rigid stationary platform in said cabinet in position to receive receptacles inserted through said opening, said platform having its upper surface declining from said opening, said platform free at its lower end, a stop limiting movement of an uncrushed receptacle along said platform and definitely positioning. the same thereon, and means working immediately ahead of said stop for crushing against said platform a receptacle positioned by said stop to reduce the bulk of the receptacle for movement past said stop and oil the platform.

SAMUEL D. POI-SEN. SVEN HERBERT NELSON. 

